Navy arrests 22 local fishermen engaged in illegal fishing

The Sri Lanka Navy has arrested 22 local fishermen in two separate occasions for using illegal methods for fishing.

Naval personnel attached to SLNS Therapuththa in Silawathurai arrested five personnel along with a Fiber Glass Dinghy (FGD) and a Purse-seine net in the seas of Arippu while engaged in illegal fishing on 14 October. The arrested personnel along with items were handed over to Assistant Director of Fisheries in Mannar for onward action.

On the same day, naval personnel onboard IPCs deployed in the seas off Pothuwil assisted the officers of DFAR and the Pothuwil police to arrest 17 local fishermen along with a drag net engaged in illegal fishing. Onward action with regard to them was carried out by officials of DFAR (Pothuwil) and the Pothuwil police.

According to the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR), ‘hambili del’ or purse seine nets can only be used in deep seas with the permission from the Department and using this type of nets within a radius of seven km offshore is illegal.